Infected

by Gregg Luke, Luone Ingram (Narrator)

Mother Nature: the world's most innovative killer.

Deep in the jungles of Venezuela, mycologist Dr. Julia Fatheringham is engrossed in her study of native fungi. But what begins as a standard research trip quickly spirals into chaos when her associate's erratic behavior results in his horrifying death. Soon, Julia makes a startling discovery: her partner was contaminated by an organism found only in insects. It alters the victim's mind in alarming ways, with an invariably deadly outcome. Julia is baffled by her discovery—this organism has never appeared in humans. It shouldn't be possible. There is only one terrifying conclusion: The infection has jumped species.

Now, in this remote corner of the world, a contagion of unparalleled horror rests in Julia's hands. But even as she works to contain the organism that could spell devastation of apocalyptic proportions, there are others with a different agenda. They've learned of her discovery and will go to any lengths to acquire a sample—there is good money to be had in eco-terrorism.

Armed only with her strength of mind and what courage she can gather, Julia prepares to battle the devastating scourge—and the terrorists determined to unleash it on humanity.

Genres: Suspense, Fiction, Mystery, Lds Fiction, Thriller, Book Club, Mystery Thriller

Audible Audio

First published January 1, 2016

About the author

Gregg Luke is a practicing pharmacist. He received his medical training at the University of Utah. He has been writing since he could put pen to paper. He enjoys medical thrillers and is one of the first to work this genre into the LDS market.

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was incredibly silly, but silly in the way that's also kinda brilliant. The whole 'infection' theme is my kryptonite, powerless to resist the lure of yet another end of the world scenario. This one had some great visuals, human hosts killed and then turned into an incubator for a specific fungus. Big tick from me. There were guns and double crosses and the rainforest and some properly over the top villains. The whole thing was so amped up that it would play better as a film, i'd love to see it done like Sharknado or Big Shark vs Crocosaurus (if you haven't seen these, change your weekend plans). I'm not entirely sure the author would want it this way but the dialogue certainly lends itself to this type of portrayal. It's dramatic in the extreme and also rather stereotypical: the Australian says 'mate' and 'crikey' a lot, as well as cursing with the use of wombats (I lived in Australia for two years and never heard anyone sound like this woman, but perhaps I was just lucky), while the South American characters threw in 'ay caramba' every five minutes (never been anywhere in that area so can't speak to its veracity but it sounds ridiculous within the novel). Most interactions could be followed by dun dun duuuuun. Just to be clear, this is not all criticism, it's precisely this that makes it a fun read.

Many thanks to Gregg Luke, Covenant Communications, and Netgalley for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review.

[Raymie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good fast paced suspense.

Dr. Julia is studying in the Venezuela rainforest when a mysterious fungus kills her partner.

This is a good book and fast paced to where it can be read within a few days. Someone of the dialogue is kind of cringy but can be over looked. This is an American man who is writing dialogue for an Australian woman so she says stuff like “crickey”, “twit” and other weird things that make me roll my eyes.

The storyline line was still good though. I was fully absorbed into it and wanted to see what was going to happen. There was action and the ending was great!

Genre: Thriller
APK: Physical
Pages: 336
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

EEEEWWWWW! This book gave me the willies. I just have to say it again. Ew! The mental pictures I have from this book gross me out. If this were a movie I would never watch it. I'm a bit squeamish. Can you tell?

At one point I had to stop reading this book because I was feeling like this fungus was creeping up on me. Oh, and don't eat while reading this book. It may cause you to lose your appetite.

Did I mention yet that I liked this book? Ha. It was fast paced and so plot driven. The characters didn't really resonate with me (well, except the bad guy) but the plot carried them along. I definitely never became bored while reading this book.

I can think of a lot of adjectives to describe this book. Besides the few I mentioned above, here are a few more. Terrifying- because all of the stuff in this story could easily be real and all these things could really happen- maybe they are happening and I just don't know it. Nasty- just wait 'till you read it. Ew! Intriguing- because what if this did happen? And what kind of mind thinks up stuff like this (Gregg Luke!) ?!

This book shook up my normal genre reading. It's always fun to shift mind gears and read something different than usual.

Content: some violence, gruesome details

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 Stars) I am completely blown away by how intricate this story is! There are things about fungi, research, jungles, and eco-terrorism in this book that I never knew or would even think to guess about. The web of relationships and interactions had my mind boggled, yet it all came together in the most interesting and creepy way possible.

Julia is an Australian scientist researching in the depths of the Venezuelan rain forests and makes a very startling discovery. In a race against time to get help and solve the mystery of what is going on, there are some unexpected events that crop up to alter the course. I was appalled, disgusted, and fascinated by the events.

I've read most of Gregg Luke's other books and I have to say, this one is one of his best! The characters are extremely well done--they come to life and their personalities rise up off the pages in the most intriguing way. There are some who are so despicable and others who are very likable. There were moments when my skin was crawling--this isn't a book for the weak of stomach. Could something like this be real?? I don't know, but it sure is believable.

This book is perfect for those who enjoy a good, unique thriller.

Content: some violence and some disturbing descriptions of a killer fungus and dead bodies; innuendo from one character and implied intimate acts.

*I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book starts out fast and doesn't let up the entire time! It takes a look at what could happen if a deadly organism was released on mankind and how it can quickly spread. It starts out as an accident but catches the attention of people that want it for nefarious purposes. Dr. Julia Fatheringham is working hard to keep it from spreading but it's not easy. People she should be able to trust are working against her.

The story switches back and forth between multiple characters so, for the most part, the reader knows what side everyone falls on. I liked getting into the heads of the bad guys as well as the good guys. There were some surprises, though, as everything unfolded.

Be warned that there are descriptions that will make you a bit squeamish. It reminded me why I'm not in the medical field--my stomach can't regularly handle things like that. I was still fascinated with what was happening, though, and couldn't stop reading. The idea that something like this could actually happen adds to the creepiness of it.

This is a book where I didn't necessarily become invested in the individual characters (most likely since they were in crisis mode the entire time), but loved getting to know each of them and also loved the book as a whole! If you enjoy fast-moving suspense and have a strong stomach, this is a book you will definitely want to read!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. My opinion is 100% my own.

Mel's Shelves

[Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! The concepts in this book blew me away. A Mother Nature infection can become a eco-terrorism tool. The first sentence of the book is "Mother Nature is a serial killer." A couple of paragraphs down reads: "Mother Nature. A mass murderer. No one is more creative..." That's how the book starts. From there it goes on to describe circumstances and situations that seem unreal, but at the same time completely plausible.

This book is a suspenseful race against time, good guy, bad guy, science fiction, action packed book. It held my attention while describing scenes that I could almost see in my mind. Some of them I really didn't want to see. Some of them left me a little squeamish, but it was fascinating. This book is a contrast between emotions. You can't help but keep reading and wanting to know what will happen next.

If you enjoy a good suspense book, you may want to give this one a try. Be prepared that you will read things that you hope will never happen. You will picture events that you may not want to picture. Hopefully you will be as fascinated as I was.

[Shauna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE Gregg Luke's thrillers!
SO GOOD! SO RIVETING! SO AMAZING!
WOW! What a story! Your mind will be completely engrossed in the twists and turns. This so needs to be made into a movie!
LOVED. LOVED. LOVED. IT!
Do not miss out on this one!

[Ken Stephens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book kind of surprised me.

My wife recommended it because I needed a book set in South America for our local library's yearly reading challenge. I initially resisted, but she's recommended good books in the past and I needed to fill the category and had no better options at that point.

I really enjoyed it.

From the beginning scene I was hooked. I won't go into detail, but it starts off with a bang and just kind of keeps that pace. Due to this interesting outbreak it draws the attention of others who want to use it for nefarious purposes, which keep it interesting and fast paced.

I like that the main character, Julia, isn't your typical main character. She's just a scientist trying to find a way to stop the spread of this virus, that she's not even sure how it starts, and has to deal with eco-terrorists trying to steal it and unleash it on the world.

Like I said, this book surprised me. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and trying to figure out how the virus is contracted and who some of the villains are. If you like thrillers then this is right up your alley.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I’m just gonna put this right here. Gregg Luke obviously knows his stuff when it comes to all this pharmaceutical business, which is after all his day job. So, all the technical elements felt realistic and credible. It felt a bit spooky reading this in the middle of 2020, and all this pandemic stuff going on.

The storyline is intriguing and the fungal infection totally gross, but I did want to know how it was passed on from person to person so I kept reading.

I was surprised at some of the language. Other than that, if you love a good suspense, with some medical elements- you’ll likely love this book.

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting read. I was surprised at how quickly I was able to read through it. The beginning was a little more gruesome that expected, and there was a lot of background stories that I didn't feel were completely necessary, although I understood why they were included. My body definitely tightened throughout the novel. I did feel like there were almost too many different points of view, although again, I understood why it was done in the way it was. It was a gripping read that had the pages turning. I would recommend it to anyone who likes to be on the edge of their seats and doesn't mind bit of mild gruesomeness.

[Polly Krize · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really, really wanted to like this book, sounded like something I would devour! Unfortunately it missed the mark for me. Seemed quite silly and the characters not at all likable or sympathetic. Plot felt unformed and wishy-washy. The rainforest in South America is an inhospitable place, full of plant and animal life, but scientists are determined to find the next, great drug component for powerful drug companies. Sounded so, so, good, but.... Only my opinion.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started reading this book after doing some research on epidemics and thought it would be fun to read a fiction novel with this topic as the main plot. What I found instead was a dull book with “cardboard” characters about a fungi spore that infected a few people in the jungles of the Amazon. Dr. Julia Fatheringham discovers her partner died after climbing to the top of a Kapok tree and a dark organization is looking to steal the spores to make a deadly weapon. The story line was just confusing and I struggled to finish the book, even with an interesting climax of a plane takedown.

[Marsha · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had potential but I never connected with the characters and the ending was really weak and anticlimactic. Not really worth the read.

[Becky · Rating 1 out of 5]

Cartoony villains, imbecilic heroes. Couldn't read it.

[Hannah Russell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted so badly to like this book. And I think we need to go back to our the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly system of book review to explain why my desires were not answered.

The Good: the scientific premise was very creative, and quite satisfying. The science overall was fairly good. The concept was probably even a 5 star and the science throughout about a 4.

The Bad: the execution of the plot was all over the place. Characters were completely cardboard cutout, and even melodramatic. Meghan was completely over-the-top. I didn't really like Felipe, and his disappearance for half the book made no sense at all. I think Henry was the best of the bunch and he was a bare minimum character. The villains are confusing, the objectives are confusing. The ending was just wholly unsatisfying.

The Ugly: the agendas were sometimes just over-the-top. (Environmentalists are all eco-terrorists)

It is so hard to find good science fiction, and good biological science fiction is an even rarer beauty. So disappointed that good writing-craft couldn't accompany this science. It could have been something beautiful.

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok. The story is great. Tense. Lots of action, but. Lemme rephrase. BUUUUUUUUT, switching from audio (because it makes work time fly) to hard copy just changed the problems. Audio: Not my fave narrator. Her accents were sketchy/inconsistent and speaking Spanish, it was just shy of ear bleedingly painful to listen to. Thankfully my library had two copies on the shelf.

Now I can’t give my ears a rest, but somebody fire this book’s editor. The South American country is spelled COLOMBIA, not ColUmbia!!! Canada has British Columbia.

Night, in Spanish, is feminine. Modifiers, adjectives, etcetera, need to match. It is NOT “buenos noches”, it’s “buenas noches”.

And finally, just because you swear in a foreign language, especially taking the Lord’s name in vain, does not make it okay, especially when the PUBLISHING HOUSE IS CHRISTIAN!!!

If these things don’t bother you, you’ll enjoy the book for the story.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of the novel was very promising, and drew me into the story. However, about halfway through the novel I found my interest waning. The concept of mass disease by fungus was more believable to me than some of the behaviors of the characters. I especially struggled with Meghan as a character. She didn't strike me as believable, and I think if she had been toned down a little bit it would have made the story more engaging in the second half of the novel. I enjoyed the strength and perseverance of Julia. However, I doubt she could have really gone through all that she did without needing a lengthy rest. I know I wouldn't have been able to go through all she did without needing recovery time. However, the story was entertaining, and I would recommend it if you enjoy contagion/end of the world type books.

[Breanna Sumiko Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The incredible author of this book, Gregg Luke, recommended this novel to me at a conference. I was talking about “The Last of Us” and the outbreak of the cordyceps fungus. Well, ladies and gentleman, Gregg wrote it first, and he wrote it so well!

If you enjoy fast-paced outbreak stories, a wide cast of unique and interesting characters, high-stakes adventures, and a hilariously lovable goat, then this is the book for you. The thrills and webs of nefariousness, the twists and turns in the plot, the multicultural array of personalities…all gold.

Added bonus, the audiobook narrator slayed it in her performance. What an enjoyable read!

[Cherie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting thriller-mystery about an organism found in insects of the Venezuelan jungle that has jumped species and contaminated a research biologist. As his research partner struggles to understand what has happened and to contain the organism which has caused her partner's horrifying death, she finds that it has already has contaminated other people and has been pegged as an eco-weapon of mass destruction!

[Brian Murphy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Flat characters, stereotypes, clichés.

I liked the premise, and IPs like The Last of Us demonstrate the storytelling space is there. Unfortunately this author only knows how to write in archetypes like drunk, impoverished brown man; corrupt south American government employee; promiscuous young woman whose daddy pays for everything... there isn't a single likable character, and no character development to be found.

[Renée Cragun · Rating 4 out of 5]

The way the author portrayed the infection and germs spreading was believable, and I found that interesting. What wasn’t believable, was Julia‘s constant use of the word “brilliant.” Someone from Australia can correct me if I’m wrong, but it seemed a gross overuse. I like that the author kept the dialogue clean, but he could’ve thrown in other words besides “brilliant” and “crikey”. It was offputting.

[Heather Miller · Rating 2 out of 5]

The idea of this book had a lot of promise, but I felt that the execution was lacking. I love suspenseful, medical fiction like Robin Cooke's novels, but this seemed to have very one dimensional characters and a semi farfetched feel to it. I also hated the "evil liberal fake environmentalist" political agenda throughout the book. It distracted from the cool parts of the story.

[Nathalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Books that mix a good mystery with science can definitely up the suspense factor. I like the fact that author Gregg Luke will give you the hard science at the end of the book. It's even more terrifying! Kudos to reader Luone Ingram which really brought the book to life with her great grasp of accents and characterizations.

[Jacque Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Infected was an enjoyable read. Quite of few of the plot elements were a tad cliche, but it still kept my attention. It had a strong A plot that didn’t need anything additional. This could do well as a movie, the chapters were short and they switched perspective often. I thought it would be an issue, but it worked pretty well.

[Jodie · Rating 1 out of 5]

It just didn’t do it for me. It was gross, but honestly I didn’t feel suspense, there wasn’t romance, you never figure out who was behind the operation, and I had to look up words. Haha (I am actually okay with that.)

[Sylvia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Listen to it on a fast speed, then it becomes a light read. Characters are stereotyped. I am told that it is common for authors to write about this fungus which causes ant-zombies because there is some truth behind it.

[Kevin Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

This kept me going from the first page and was full of suspense and mystery. It's not at all like some of the other books by Clair Poulson. No love story in this one. I found it a quick read and enjoyed it all along the way.

[Kimberly King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every page is intense and captivating. I absolutely loved this book and devoured it in a day (which I rarely do). The characters were rich and complex, and the story felt scientific and believable. I highly recommend it!! Gregg Luke is my new favorite author.

[Krysta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I only made it part way through. There are some pretty graphic descriptions. I couldn't handle how gross some of the imagery was. It is well written, and the storyline was interesting - I just couldn't handle some of the content.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was nice to read something different. Two scientists are studying in the Amazon rainforest when suddenly one acts strangely climbs a tree and dies. The other scientist along with a local doctor and pilot are trying to stop the spread of the fungus.